Seventy five years ago today, a New York City NBC affiliate broadcast the world's first TV spot – 9 seconds for a total charge of $9. From Slate:

"On July 1, 1941, the NBC-owned station WNBT in New York aired the first legal commercial in television history. Advertising was banned on TV until the Federal Communications Commission gave commercial licenses to 10 stations on May 2, 1941, to go into effect July 1. WNBT was the only station to air an ad on that day.

"The commercial played before a Brooklyn Dodgers–Philadelphia Phillies game at Ebbets FIeld. It was a brief spot called the "Bulova Time Check," which showed a watch face with the second hand ticking while a voice-over read the time. Bulova paid $4 for air fees plus $5 for station fees."